Chapter 539: Fighting to Pay the Bill
Riley let out a helpless sigh, making sure her voice carried clearly to everyone nearby.
"Selina, before you buy something, shouldn’t you at least consider Logan’s preferences? You can’t just buy what you like. What if Logan doesn’t like it?"
Selina’s smile grew sharper, edged with mockery. She gave Riley a long, meaningful glance before turning to the cashier. "Wrap it up. Check out."
The cashier hurriedly nodded. "Of course, please hold on a moment."
But Riley bit her lip and spoke again.
"Selina, are you sure? Last time someone gave Logan clothes that weren’t to his taste, he didn’t even look at them—just told Butler Miller to throw them out. Why don’t you pick something else? I think this one’s better."
She pulled out a black suit and handed it confidently to the cashier. "Buy this."
The cashier froze mid-step, hesitating, looking between them.
Selina nearly laughed in exasperation. She couldn’t even be bothered to argue. "The trench coat. Pay."
But Riley refused to quit.
"Selina, I’m only reminding you out of kindness. No one knows Logan’s likes and dislikes better than I do. I just don’t want you to waste your effort—or worse, have Logan think you don’t really understand him and end up upset with you."
Selina finally stopped walking and turned to face Riley head-on.
"And may I ask, Miss Nelson, where exactly does your knowledge of Logan come from?"
Riley smiled as if it were obvious. "Selina, you know very well. Logan and I grew up together. Of course I know his preferences."
"Grew up together?" Selina’s lips curved into a half-smile. "So your understanding of Logan is still stuck in his childhood?"
Riley laughed lightly. "Even if it’s from back then—"
"But Logan’s childhood was many years ago. If his preferences are from that time, how can Miss Nelson be so sure he still likes the same things now?"
Riley’s expression didn’t falter; she looked almost pitying. "Selina, I’m only trying to help. I don’t want your good intentions to backfire. If Logan got upset with you, what then? But if you don’t want to believe me, so be it."
People nearby had recognized both Riley and Selina. Many weren’t directly involved with the Reid Family’s affairs, but they still had their own sense of right and wrong. They wouldn’t blindly side with Riley just because she was the so-called "well-matched childhood sweetheart."
Watching this scene, they found Selina’s situation frustrating.
Riley’s posture screamed "wannabe mistress," yet she still insisted she and Mr. Reid were just "good friends." Since when did "good friends" deliberately humiliate someone’s wife in public?
Unfortunately, Mrs. Reid seemed like the type of gentle, easy-to-bully woman, a pushover. More than one bystander sighed.
Selina sneered inwardly. Heh.
So Riley wanted to step up and hand her face over to be slapped? Then Selina wouldn’t mind doing it.
"And why does Miss Nelson think my good intentions would backfire? Even if I did buy the wrong clothes or misread Logan’s taste, do you really think he’d be so petty as to get angry with me over it? In your eyes, is Logan some volatile man who flies into moods over nothing?"
Riley’s face shifted. "That’s not what I—"
"Or should I spell it out more clearly?" Selina’s voice grew cool and cutting. "Miss Nelson, I’m Logan’s wife. I’m the one by his side. I know his preferences better than you ever could. Clinging to scraps of childhood familiarity as if it makes you special—do you really not understand that people change?"
"Something he liked back then isn’t necessarily what he likes now. And even if Logan doesn’t care for warm-toned trench coats, as long as it’s my recommendation, he’ll wear it. He’ll love it. There won’t ever be the situation you imagine, where Logan ’refuses to wear it’ and my gift is wasted."
Riley sensed the stares around her, the polite smile on her face slowly draining away.
Selina delivered the final blow, her voice calm but cutting: "As for your so-called ’kind reminder’... forgive me for being blunt, but even if Logan and I really did argue over this coat, even if it did affect our marriage, what exactly does that have to do with Miss Nelson?"
Her lips curved faintly, almost playfully.
"Since when does Miss Nelson govern heaven and earth—and now even other people’s marriages? Tell me, who are you to Logan?"
Selina said it so lightly, almost casually, her eyes still smiling as if none of this bothered her. Without sparing Riley a final glance, she walked straight to the cashier.
Riley’s fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms, her teeth grinding audibly. The carefully maintained smile on her face collapsed, leaving only a dark, sour expression.
The guests who had just thought Selina looked like a pushover: "..."
They shifted their gazes back, silently nodding to themselves. Exactly—this was how you dealt with a homewrecker.
"Riley keeps saying she won’t interfere in someone else’s marriage, but her intentions are written all over her face. Honestly, Mrs. Reid’s being way too classy. If it were me, I’d have slapped her already."
"Don’t. Who knows what tricks Riley has up her sleeve? If Mrs. Reid hit her, Riley could easily cling to Mr. Reid and play the victim."
"Still, come on—how shameless can you be? Mrs. Reid is buying clothes for her own husband, and Riley jumps in nitpicking—’he won’t wear this, he doesn’t like that.’ As if Mrs. Reid wouldn’t know what her own husband likes?"
"She’s just clinging to a bit of childhood history and her brother Hunter’s name to act close to Mr. Reid. It’s disgusting."
Riley wasn’t deaf; every word landed sharp and clear. Her fists tightened further, her eyes blazing with fury. To her, it felt like the entire world was mocking her. She wanted nothing more than to rip those people’s mouths apart.
Unfortunately, not everyone feared the Nelson Family’s influence. The ones speaking—a pair of men and women—were heirs of other wealthy City A families. They’d grown up seeing illegitimate children and mistresses claw their way into power. If there was one thing they despised most, it was someone exactly like Riley.
"What are you staring at? If you dare to do it, don’t be afraid of people calling it out."
Riley’s jaw clenched so hard it ached, and she finally spun on her heel. She wouldn’t stoop to argue with them—yet. But once she became Mrs. Reid, she would make sure to slap every single one of them in the face.
Just then, Grandma Perry had picked out several dresses for herself and was ready to pay.
Spotting Selina at the cashier with a trench coat in hand, she smiled warmly.
"Selina, did you pick that out for Logan?"
Selina turned her head. "Mm. Do you think it looks good?"
"Anything you choose will look good."
The old lady handed over the dresses she’d chosen for Selina. "Take a look at these—what do you think?"
Selina glanced at the stylish outfits and immediately understood the gesture. A flicker of warmth crossed her eyes.
"Thank you, Grandma. Let me pay for these."
She knew the clothes weren’t cheap, and since Grandma had gone out of her way to pick them for her, she couldn’t possibly let the old woman spend money on her.
"No need," Grandma Perry said firmly. "You’re the younger one. I’ll handle it myself."
Just as she was about to speak, Riley suddenly stepped forward with a bright smile. Without even glancing at the clothes in Grandma Perry’s hands, she chirped ingratiatingly:
"Grandma, let me put it on my card."